You may think that mezzanine floors aren’t a topic an interesting article would cover, but there have been may creative architectural uses for the floor between floors and we’re taking some time out to understand why a multitude of individuals, businesses and creatives have made use of them. Traditionally mezzanine floors and planning architectural buildings have had a symbiotic relationship because of the practical space saving these floors offer but there are many reasons an architect may opt for one depending on the situation. Space, ease of access and design are just a few minor utilisations mezzanine floors have; let’s expand on these reasons a bit split by who would use them and why.
Industry Professionalism
The most widely cited reason for using mezzanine floors is to cut down cost on storage space for industrial based businesses. In the industrial sector of manufacturing a lot of the parts that goes into the construction of products have to be stored before assembly but leaving those lying around the factory floor would be considered a safety risk. For this reason mezzanine floors are a concrete resolution for temporary storage when it comes to the industrial sector; in this way mezzanine floors are practically used when it comes to businesses in industry.
Practical Art
Creatives use mezzanine floors, after getting planning permission of course, as a solution to traffic; specifically in galleries to utilise the maximum potential of the space they have to work with. While often art galleries prefer really open planned space for the breathing room of installations, it hasn’t been unheard of to install temporary mezzanine flooring for larger collections on display. One of the most famous galleries of all has an architectural anomaly which is that of a mezzanine spanning the entire architectural structure.
Aesthetic Apartments
The final utilisation of mezzanine floors is in houses or specifically urban apartments. Not only does an apartment with a mezzanine floor look aesthetically pleasing but it goes a long way to make the most of expensive city space; imagine having twice as much space for the same price you would always pay. Some people prefer to save that space for bedrooms that are intimate enough for the occupant to enjoy it without making it obviously accessible to the rest of the apartment. One could also use mezzanine floors for offices or dining areas that are utilised for specific reasons, leaving the rest of the apartment to be used in a general manner. As you can see from these three examples, mezzanine floors serve storage, aesthetic and practical uses that are flexible enough to fit any architectural structure.
Eugene Calvini is a writer with a passion for architecture; be it a mezzanine floor or a glass chandelier, nothing gets him more excited that interior design.